Pin-clutch mechanism.



No. 655,973. Patented Aug. l4. I900. R. HAKEWESSELL & E. C. HENN.

PIN CLUTCH MECHANISM.

Application filed Dec. 9, 1899.) Q N o M o d e l h/ljfiesees x. /7. 4

mechanism embodying this invention.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

REINHOLD HAKEWVESSELL, OF HARTFORD, AND EDW'IN C. HENN, OF BLOOMFIELD,CONNECTICUT.

PIN-CLUTCH MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 65 5,973, dated August14, 1900.

Application filed December 9 1899. Serial No. 739,776. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, REINHOLD HAKE- WEssELL, a resident of the city ofHartford,

and EDWIN C. HENN, a resident of Bloomfield, in the county of Hartfordand State of Connecticut, citizens of the United States of America, haveinvented certain new and use ful Improvements in Pin-Clutch Mechanisms,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of clutches generally known aspin-clutches, the chief object of the present invention being to producea pin-clutch of simplified and improved construction and organizationthat will be effective in its operation and one embodying means forcushioning the impact-and to thereby obviate the injurious effect ofsuch impact noticeable in pin-clutches of ordinar'y well-knownconstruction and increase the working life of the clutch.

With this object in view the invention con sists in certain novelfeatures and in the combination and organization of the several featuresor parts, substantially as hereinafter described and more particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification,Figure l is an elevation, partly in section, of a pin-clutch Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section of one part or member of the clutch, taken in aline corresponding with the dotted line a: a: in Fig. l as seen frombelow in said figure. Fig. 8 is a similar sectional view of another partof the clutch. Fig. 4 is a similar sectional view of the cap forsecuring the parts of the clutch and holding them in an assembledcondition. Fig. 5 is across-sectional view of the clutch proper, takenon the dotted line y y, Fig. 1, as seen from the right in said figure.Fig. 6 is a front viewof the member shown in Fig. 3 as seen from theleft in said figure, and Fig. 7 is a sectional View similar to Fig. 2 ofa slightly-modified form of clutch member.

In Fig. l of the drawings the clutch mechanism as a whole comprises theclutch proper, which is designated in a general way by C and which issplined to a shaft S for a'limited amount of longitudinal movement, aclutchshifter C, two rotative members G and G, preferably gear-wheelsloosely mountedon the shaft S, one at one side and the other at theother'side of the clutch, and collars H and H for holding the members Gand G against longitudinal movement on the shaft S.

In the construction and organization thereof shown in Fig. 1 the clutchproper, C, may constitute the driving element, in which case the shaft Swill constitute the prime actuator and motion will be communicated toone or the other rotative gear-wheels G or G through said clutch, or, ifdesired, one or the other gear-wheel G or G may constitute the drivingelement, in which case some suitable or convenience the clutch C will behereinafter 7o referred to as a driven element or device, assuming thegear-wheel G to be rotated by the prime motor (not shown) at a low speedand the wheel G to be concurrently driven at a high rate of speed,motion being communicated to the shaft S through the clutch or drivenelement C in accordance with the speed of the gear in operativeengagement with the clutch.

As shown in'Fig. 1, the gears G and G are provided on the inner faces oftheir hubs with clutch-pins 2 and 3, located in cooperative relation tocorresponding clutch-pins 4 and 5 on the outer faces of the clutch O.

The clutch or driven member 0, in the preferred construction andorganization thereof,

(shown most clearly in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive,)

comprises two principal members, (designated by d and d',) respectivelysecured together for a limited amount of rotative movement onerelatively to the other, one or more springs e, disposedcircumferentially about the coincident axes of said members, an abutment6, secured to one member and bearing against one portion of a spring,and an abutment 7, 5

fixed to the other member and bearing against an opposite portion ofsaid spring, whereby on a movement of one member relatively to the othersaid spring will be slightly com pressed, thereby to cushion the impactdue to The fixed member (I of the clutch is shown,

as a sleeve circumferentially grooved intermediate its ends, as at 8, toreceive the end of the shifter C and has formed in one end face thereof,intermediate the inner and outer edges, an annular groove 9 to receivethe cushioning-springs e and is also internally screw-threaded at thisend to receive the externally-screw threaded end of the cap F, whichsupports the member (1 and secures the two members d and (1' againstlongitudinal displacement relatively. This member (Z will preferably besplined to the shaft to facilitate movement thereof longitudinally of;saidshaftand has three equidistantly-dis-; posed abutments 6, shown aspins fixed in; the recessed portion 9, parallel to the axis} thereof.

The other clutch member (1, which 1 is supported for a limited amount ofrotative 3 movement with respect to the member d, is

shown as a ring having a central opening 13',

which is of slightly-greater diameter than the internal diameter of themember (1 and which i is shouldered at 14 to form a seat for the flange12 .of the cap F. This cap F, which is shown as a collar, has a steppedperiphery and is externally screw-threaded at its inner smaller; endtofit the internally-screw-threaded openingin the member (Z andconstitutes a support for the member (1, said member (1 being supportedupon the middle portion of said cap F, between its flange 12 and theinner adjaeent face of the member d when the parts are assembled, andbeing held against movement longitudinally of the axis of the member bysaid flange 12, which bears against the shoulder 14. This member (1 isshown having a series of three equidistantly-disposed abutments or pins7 located to enter the recess 9 in the face of the member d and whichnormally have their side faces in close proximity to the adjacent sidefaces of the abut-;

ments 6 of said member.

When the parts (1, d, and F of the clutch O 1 are assembled, the outerface of the cap F1 preferably lies flush with the corresponding face ofthe member (1'.

The cushioning means,in the preferred form thereof shown, comprises aseries of three spiral springs e, disposed about the sleeve of and inthe annular groove in the member d; in such position that one end ofeach spring; will bear against the abutment 6 of one mem- 3 ber and theopposite end thereof will bear" againstthe abutment 7 of the othermember. A headed pin 15 is shown inserted in each end of each spring toprevent undue lateral deflection and also to form a flat bearing for theabutments.

It will be obvious that opposite end faces of the member d may begrooved, as shown in Fig. '7, and that both ends of the clutch may he ofduplicate construetionthat is, have cushioning means at both ends.Therefore it is not desired to limit the invention to the exactconstruction and organization. shown in Figs. 1 to 6.

As before implied, both ends of the clutch will preferably be providedwith pins to cooperate with the pins on the members driving said clutchor to be driven by said clutch.

YVe claim 1. In a clutch mechanism a shaft; arotative sleeve-like membermountedon said shaft and having an annular recess in oneend between theinner and outer faces thereof; and also having a plurality ofsubstantially-equidistant pins or abutments fixed in said recess; anaxially-recessed cap having a pcripheral flange at the outer end andhaving a diametrically-reduced externally-threaded inner end screwedinto a corresponding hear ing in the sleeve-like member; a ring mount--ed for rotative movement upon said collar and having a shoulder againstwhich the inner face of said collar bears; and also having a pluralityof abutment-pins fixed at their inner ends thereto and having theirouter ends extending into the annular recess of the sleeve-like member;and a plurality ofspiral springs supported in said recess and eachbearing at one end against an abutmentof the sleeve-like member and atthe other end against an abutment of the ring, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a clutch, the combination of an internally-screw-threadedsleeve-like member having an annular recess in one end intermediate theinner and outer faces thereof and also having fixed pins or abutments insaid recess; a collar or cap fitting the screwthreaded end of saidsleeve-like member and having a stepped periphery the middle step ofwhich constitutes a bearing fora ring-like member and the outer step ofwhich constitutes a holding-flange; a ring-like member mounted for arotative movement upon the bearing of the cap and having a recess toreceive the flange; pins or abutments fixed to the ring-like member andprojecting into the annular recess of the sleeve-like member andcushioning means disposed between the abutments of the twomembers,whereby one member may have a limited rotative movement withrespect to the other.

3. A clutch mechanism comprising a shaft; a clutch-sleeve splined tosaid shaft and having an annular recess in the end intermediate theinner and outer faces thereof; pins fixed in said recess andsubstantially equidistant; a collar surrounding said shaft and having areduced externally-sorew-threaded innerend fitting a threaded portion ofthe central open ing of the sleeve, and having a peripheral flange atthe outer end thereof disposed somewhat in advance of the end face ofsaid sleeve; a ring supported for rotative movements upon the collarbetween the flange and adjacent face of the sleeve and having one ormore clutch-pins on the outer face thereof; a plurality of pins fixed tosaid collar and entering the annular recess in the sleeve; a

cooperative clutch member loosely mounted upon the shaft; means forpreventing longitudinal displacement of the clutch elementswith respectto the shaft; and clutch-shiftingmeans in connection with theclutch-sleeve and operative for effecting an engagement I 5 between thecooperative clutch members.

Signed by us at Hartford, Hartford county, Connecticut, this 7th day ofDecember, A. D.

1899. v BEINI-IOLD HAKEWESSELL.

EDWIN C. HENN. Witnesses:

L. H. BLOOD, E. O. WHITNEY.

